A Blog with reviews of opera performances, interviews and articles about opera and classical music in general
by a group of musicologists and music professionals

Friday, 8 April 2016

Gioachino Rossini, Il Turco in Italia - Landestheater Salzburg

Performance 3rd April

“Costa Crusies“ is written on the front of the cruise liner that dominates the scenery of Marco Dott’s staging. The Allucsion to the Costa Concordia which foundered in 2012 is clear. Also some assumptions why the ship foundered is presented on stage. The adequate stage design and costumes were created by Karl-Heinz Steck. The setting suggests that the acting persons are on the ship, too: Don Geronio as captain, Don Narciso as chief officer und all the other as guests on the trip. Therefor the team used some clichés: Asians taking pictures with their mobile phone, a mother with her grown-up son, treated by her as if he were under 10, a group of drunken people, who would have fit better to a party on Mallorca and so on. Selim didn’t arrive with a ship in “Italia” but, of course, with a helicopter. For this purpose the supertitles were adapted. Using the revolving stage different places on the ship were presented to the audience: sun terrace, the captain’s bedroom or the bridge. As a direction mistake the scene of Don Narciso’s aria “Tu seconda il mio disegno“ could be seen: the singing gets secondary and in centre of the attention is the couple on deck. After the masked ball at which all were dressed as sea dweller or something like that there was a clear quotation from “Titanic”. Both: from scenery and musical. This could also be a definitely hint to the end of the production: the cruise line founders. At the same time the poet Prosdomico sings about the “lieto fine”. That’s why the end of the production seems to be absolutely unexpected and not really understandable. A production that shows some weaknesses and one that loses some esprit in the course of the evening.Adrian Kelly has been in charge of the artistic direction of the concert as well as playing the pianoforte, which he both coped superiorly with. The Mozarteum Orchester provided the usual good quality, too. Especially the brass section and its soloists were playing excellently. Unfortunately, the orchestra was too loud for the singers depending on the position of the singers and their vocal range, which at last could hardly be heard. Simon Schnorr was convincing as Prosdocimo. He played his role discriminatingly and precisely. The baritone also could bring in his abilities as an actor convincingly. Hannah Bradbury sang the role of Fiorilla. The coloraturas didn't seem to be a problem for her. All lyric phrases were sung self-confidentially and well-shaped. Her rival: Rowan Hellier as Zaide. During the argument with Fiorilla Hellier convinced with a dramatic voice otherwise with a warmer and lyric voice. Unfortunately, both Pietro di Bianco (Selim) and Sergio Foresti (Don Geronio) were struggling with the coloraturas, which haven't been sung precisely. But they were convincing in the parlando. Don Narciso was sung by Carlos Cadoso. The tenor, who according to his biography has already sung a lot of roles by Rossini, coped very well with that role. He coped easily with coloraturas as well as high notes. Only in a low range in the parlando he could hardly be heard accompanied by the orchestra.
A production, that shows weaknesses and excellences, which amused the audiences. 7 stars.✰✰✰✰✰✰✰- - -
Reviewed by Katharina Schiller

Hi!oh, you're right. I just had a closer look to the notes to be sure about this. But it sounded like coloraturas in the tutti-numbers. I really didn't hear him singing text...Maybe I will watch it again and pay more attention to this.

Daniel Url, B.A.

Daniel Url is a Musicologist from Salzburg, who studied in Salzburg (Austria), Trondheim (Norway) and Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom). His research interests are opera (especially German opera), theory of the fine Arts and vocal music in general. While living in the wonderful town of Salzburg (with the great Salzburg Festival around) he is also travelling to some of the great opera houses in Germany and Austria from Leipzig over Dresden and Vienna to the Bavarian state opera in Munich.

Daniel is the founder of this project and also our main editor and author. For questions, notes or any business inquiries:

daniel0url@gmail.com

Lukas Leipfinger, B.A.

Lukas Leipfinger is a student in Regensburg and is recently doing his Master in German Philology after graduating in German Philology and Musicology. He joined the project in september 2015 as Co-author and is our specialist for male voices. His main interests cover operas from Richard Wagner and the verismo.

Christine Arnold, B.A.

Christine Arnold completed her undergraduate degree in musicology and dance science at Salzburg Universität in Austria and Newcastle University in England. Now she is proceeding her master in musicology and piano studies at the Folkwang Universität in Essen, Germany. Her musical interests are widespread but she counts Verdi's and Mozart's operas to her favourite ones.

Katharina Schiller, B.A.

Katharina was born in Munich and started studying Mathematics/Physics and Musicology there in 2010 and 2011 before moving to Salzburg and continue her studies there. She is a singer herself (choir and solo) since 1995 and is visiting operas regularly. Katharina is our specialist for 17th and 18th century opera.

Genevieve Arkle B.A.

Genevieve Arkle is completing her Master’s in Musicology at King’s College London and in September will be starting her PhD in Music at the University of Surrey. She focuses her academic work in late nineteenth century aesthetics and analysis, and will be writing her PhD project on Mahler’s Ninth and Tenth Symphonies and their relationship with Wagner’s Parsifal. Alongside her academic studies, she has worked with the Royal Opera House with the Jette Parker Young Artist’s Programme and for the English Touring Opera contributing to their Autumn 2015 season and working as Programme Editor of their Spring 2016 season. Most recently she was invited to be a guest writer and journalist for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment for their performance of Mahler’s Second Symphony, contributing programme notes and interviewing Mezzo-Soprano Sarah Connolly.